The Marinzean Epic
by RuneSword
Summary: A mythical race of creatures begins assimilating the citizens of New York, and the Extreme Ghostbusters are the only ones who can stop them.
1. Default Chapter

Hating the light, they always got their victims at night. When one would wander too far to a dimly lit walk or alley they'd attack, carrying the new host to their home and feed the leader. Normally they only had the chance to attack when there was one who wondered. *But tonight, *it thought, *tonight we're lucky. Tonight there's two.*  
  
John and his date were on their way home. Their friends had said the movie was great, but they hadn't thought so. They didn't notice, they were so wrapped up in each other the entire time anyway. They hadn't even been aware that the movie had ended until people started filing out. They held hands and decided to take a different route back to her place. The main roads were too loud, too distracting. The back roads were dark, quiet, peaceful.  
  
Did-did you hear something?" John asked, glancing over at the shadows that seemed to be creeping up to him, giving him a claustrophobic feel of something closing in on him.  
  
"This city's full of weird sounds. It was probably just a rat or dog or something," she replied, turning his head away from the shadows.  
  
Marie couldn't recall anything as terrifying as the creature that attacked them at that point. She couldn't see it well, but what she saw could barely be described as humanoid, save for the fact that it walked on two legs and had a head on its shoulders. It's bones were jagged and sharp, it's grey-green skin so tight it hardly seemed to be able to hold the bones inside. The skin was so tight, in some areas the jagged bone jutted out of it's body.  
  
With a low gutteral growl it reached out with its claws and picked John up by the neck. John struggled and screamed, but it just squeezed his neck tighter to shut him up. As John lost consiousness, it reached out for Marie. She turned and ran, not knowing where she could go, just feeling two things: fear of facing that creature and guilt for abandoning John to it.  
  
The further Marie ran, the slower her pace. When she felt a safe distance away, she slowed to walking pace and tried to reason her guilt away. *Well, it's not like we were going out for that long, anyway, *she thought. *I can't be expected to look after him, or risk my life for him.*  
  
Eventually her guilt started getting the better of her. *But what can I do about it?* she thought.  
  
*Where could I go?*  
  
*****  
  
Eduardo walked down the narrow corridor, his weapon drawn for the first sign of danger. The others were already gone. Kylie was the first to go. Just like she always claimed, she wasn't a screamer. She knew when she was defeated, and went silently. Not one sound. Garret was a little weaker when it came to defeat; his wheelchair collapsed, he crawled for all he was worth, right up to the end. Roland went out angry with frustration that he had been beaten so easily.  
  
They were gone, leaving him alone. Alone with the enemy. Sweat dripped down his face, stinging his eyes, but he didn't notice because he knew the one mistake he made would be his last.  
  
-Clunk-  
  
The sound came from behind. Eduardo spun and fired at whatever could be lurking in the near darkness. The silence engulfed the area around him, not a sound was made. He decided it was worth the risk to use his flashlight to better see where he had fired. Before he could find his target he heard the enemy approaching quickly from another direction. Realizing the flashlight gave away his location, he quickly switched it off, knowing he'd already lost. He closed his eyes and waited for what he knew would come next...  
  
"Ewww!!! I'm slimed!" Eduardo yelled in the darkness. The lights suddenly flipped on, revealing his three partners, covered in green ectoplasm. Of all four of them, Eduardo had gotten the worst sliming of anybody. He threw down his dart gun in frustration and began shouting with his hispanic accent, "One of you cheated! After you're attacked, you're dead. You're not supposed to interact with whoever's still playing, and one of you must have, because the sound that distracted me and the location where Slimer attacked were two different places!"  
  
"No, Slimer just threw a chocolate bar over there to throw you off," Garret said, trying not to get too much slime to drip on his wheelchair.  
  
"Looks like all of us could still use more practice," Roland siad, a bit dissapointed at how easily it seemed Slimer had taken them all out. Slimer crossed the room to retrieve his chocolat bar.  
  
"What do you mean all of us could still use more practice?!" Eduardo bragged. "I outlasted all of you. Especially you, Kylie. You sure you're looking for a career in ghostbusting, chica?"  
  
"At least I'm not so egotistical that, although I you lasted longest before losing, you still lost." There were times when she thought she knew just how she felt about Eduardo, then her thoughs about him would totally change. She knew how she felt toward him right now; she couldn't stand him. "Get outta my face!" she added.  
  
Before Kylie had the oppurtunity to walk away, Egon called them from his upstairs office. Roland, Kylie and Eduardo took the stairs, while Slimer followed Garrett as he wheeled onto the elevator.  
  
When they all reached his office, Egon explained the situation. "We just got a call from a woman who's boyfriend was attacked by some sort of creature. From what she described, it sounds to me like a Marinzean, a supposedly mythical creature who would abduct people into the shadows, where it could travel to its lair to offer the captive to its leader. The attack happened last night at about 11:20 in an ally a few blocks from the Rashman Theatre. She ran shortly after the attack. She asked us to meet her at this address so she can show us where the boyfriend was taken." He handed Roland an index card. "She asks you get there as quickly as possible."  
  
On the way back down, they each grabbed their equipment to load into the Ecto-1. A ramp extended from the back of the souped up ambulance allowing Garrett to roll up into the back. Kylie sat in the back as well, with Eduardo in the passenger seat and Roland behind the wheel. With sirens blaring, they headed off to meet with Marie.  



	2. The Marinzean Epic Chapter 2

To Garrett, the drive there was always the worst part of the job. It wasn't because of the anticipation of whatever lies ahead, not the fact that this could be his final mission. Death didn't scare him. What did was, sitting in his wheelchair, the roof was too low. The sides seem to be slowly closing in on him. It made him sweat and think of head-on collisions that leave him trapped, crunched in this car without the aid of his legs to get out.  
  
Though it seemed to Garrett, like it always does, that it took an eternity to get there, they arrived at Marie's apartment. They took the elevator to the third floor and knocked on door 317. The door opened a crack, Marie's eye peering out at them.  
  
"Ghostbusters, ma'am," Roland said in a pleasant tone. The door closed, the sound of the chain being removed could be heard, the door opened again. She smiled and asked them to come in. Her smile, they could tell, was forced. Her eyes were wide and had bags underneath them. She attempted to describe what she had seen.  
  
"It was horrible. The most disgusting creature to ever live. It's bones were jagged and breaking through its skin. It's jaw was huge with razor sharp teeth." She stopped there for a moment and Kylie suggested she show them where the attack took place. On the walk there, Marie continued to tell of the Marinean's hideousness; each time she mentioned a characteristic it seemed to get bigger and more gruesome. Eduardo fell back a step to walk alongside Garrett.  
  
"Every time she mentions its teeth they get an inch bigger, or the claws become just a tad longer. You realize that?"  
  
Garrett allowed himself a small smile. "Yes, but that's only normal for someone who's just seen something supernatural for the first time. Remember your first time? You totally wimped out!"  
  
"Si, but you saw that thing. Akira was gruesome with huge eyes and tentacles with mouths on the ends for arms. I had a right to freak out, man."  
  
"Actually, I was referring to Slimer! Man, did you ever wimp out!"  
  
Marie announced they were nearing the alley. Eduardo, thankful for the interuption, decided to take his chances walking by Kylie.  
  
When they reached the alley, Kylie took out her PKE meter and started searching for any trace of the Marinzean. "Well," she said, "something was definitely here, the readings are extremely high."  
  
Garrett reached over his wheelchair and picked up a scrap of clothing with some recently dried blood. Marie recognized it as a piece of John's jacket.  
  
Eduardo noticed the sun beginning to set in the sky. "Guys, maybe we should head back to Ecto-1, radio Egon and tell him we're on our way back. Won't be able to track anything in the dark.  
  
"As much as I'd hate to admit it," Kylie said, "Eduardo is right. We'll continue looking tomorrow morning."  
  
Roland was leading the five of them back out the alley when he froze. The others behind him pushed by to see what we was staring at. A group of kids were running back across the street, laughing. The Ecto-1's hood was popped open, with wires hanging out of the car. Roland, who had remodified most of the car, was devastated.  
  
"The car! Look what they did to the car!" Roland walked up slowly, and started examining every little detail.  
  
"Is anything busted?" Kylie asked.  
  
"Doesn't look like it, except maybe for the electrical stuff, like the tape deck or the radio. We should probably try getting in touch with Egon and seeing if it still works."  
  
Roland slammed the hood down and unlocked the doors for everybody. "Don't worry, ma'am," Roland told Marie as they got in the car, "We'll find this thing and find John."  
  
Kylie headed towards the driver's side of the car when Eduardo ran in front of her and jumped behind the wheel. "Hey!"  
  
"What do you mean, 'Hey' ?" Eduardo exclaimed, his crooked grin creeping up his lips. "I just thought I'd relieve you from the stress of driving."  
  
"But I need to contact Dr. Spengler."  
  
"You can do it from the passenger side."  
  
As Kylie walked to the other side of the car, she swore she could feel her blood temperature rising. *Sometimes he can be the biggest JERK*, she thought, *and other times...*  
  
"Chica, you commin' or not?" Eduardo called out. Kylie got in the passenger seat and picked up the transmitter.  
  
"Dr. Spengler, this is Kylie. We're continuing the investigation tomorrow. We're on our way back now."  
  
After a short pause, Egon's voice faded in and out of the static. "...ylie...an't..ear you...are..kay?"  
  
"That never happened before. It's worked in locations further than this without any problem," Kylie said, a little nervous.  
  
Roland leaned forward from the back seat. "It's probably because of the kids messing around with the wiring. I'll have to work on it when we get back to the firehouse."  
  
*****  
  
At the firehouse, Egon was preparing to go find his students, fearing that something had happened to them. "Janine, you stay here. I'm going to help the kids."  
  
"Not without me you're aren't."  
  
"No, Janine, this could be dangerous."  
  
"Which is why I'm going. I can't let anything happen to those kids. Or to you."  
  
Egon's face turned a slight shade of red. He couldn't find anything to say for a moment, but just stared into her eyes. He suddenly had a strange revelation, a thought that seemed to tell him he may not see one of them, or her or himself, again. He felt a sense of helplessness, knowing Janine had to come along. He looked at her with concern and said, "At the first sign of trouble, you run, okay, Janine?"  
  
Janine stared back at him, had the same bad feeling. She wanted to hold him forever, to convince him to just run, go with her to someplace safe where they could be together, not have to worry about ghosts and demons, spirits or Gozers. She just nodded at his question and turned away, knowing she couldn't be selfish, that the kids needed help. She knew so long as there were ghostbusters, he would always put the team in front of everything else.  
  
As Egon got prepared, he realized for the first time how much heavier the new equipment felt to him. "Janine, take this as a last resort." He handed her a small proton gun, similar to Kylie's and a ghost trap with straps to carry on her back. "But if you can, I still want you to run to safety."  
  
Janine took the weapons and put them on. They got into Egon's car, Slimer flying through the roof and into the back seat, and headed for the address Marie had told him over the phone. He knew the Marinzean attacked John in an alley nearby the theatre, and to him, that was enough to start on. Nobody said a word on the way there, each lost in their own thoughts, Slimer eating a Snickers bar.  
  
Upon arriving to the theatre, Egon, Janine and Slimer got out of the car and headed for the nearest alley. Egon pulled the PKE meter out from his belt and swept for readings. He walked down the street untill the readings were strongest and went into the nearest alleyway. Janine followed, gun in hand, and Slimer trailed after her. "Whatever it is we're following," Egon said, "we're getting really clo-"  
  
A giant hand closed over his head as the Marinzean seemed to simply materialize out of the ghostly shadows that played across the alley during the night. The Marinzean picked Egon up, still holding him by the head, and tossed him with all its brutal might into a brick wall not more than five yards away. He hit the wall hard on his right shoulder with a sickening thud and fell on a heap to the ground. Janine looked, frozen with terror, as he let out a barely audible moan, winced, and lost consciousness.  
  
The Marinzean, satisfied Egon wasn't going anywhere, turned and advanced toward Janine. She snapped out of her hypnotic gaze, and realized it was now up to her. She raised her gun to the Marinzean, closed her eyes and prepared to pull the trigger. The Marinzean pulled back his right arm and lashed forward all force, knocking the gun out of her hand. The gun clattered to the ground and went off, firing a nuclear blast towards the wall, not too far from Egon. The blast from the proton gun shattered a piece of the brick wall, raining a pile of rubble on Egon's already battered body. With his other arm, the Marinzean struck Janine full force in the face, knocking her off her feet onto the ground. Blood trickled from her nose as she slipped out of consciousness. The Marinzean picked Janine and Egon up, carrying each over a shoulder. Egon's body, his shoulder terribly damaged, was covered with bruises and gashes from the rubble that fell on him. It walked toward the black shadows from which it had appeared, until it seemed to join the shadows, become a dark image and vanish.  
  
Slimer, deserting his hiding spot behind a trash can, tried to follow whatever it was that had taken Egon and Janine, but found the shadows that the Marinzean had walked through were just being cast onto a brick wall. If that thing had walked through some kind of portal, it took it with him. Slimer found Janine's gun and Egon's PKE meter laying on the ground and picked them up. He flew high up in the air, looking for the Ecto-1 in the dead of night. He could think of only one thing to do; he had to find the Ghostbusters.  



	3. The Marinzean Epic Chapter 3

"Look, I know what the old team was like, and just between you and me, chica, Venkman was their greatest member."  
  
"Are you kidding?! Without Dr. Spengler, there never even would have been a Ghostbusters team! Now, you know I'm right, so stop arguing with me and drive!"  
  
While Eduardo and Kylie sat in front arguing, Roland sat in back watching the people breeze by the window. Like always, no one noticed Garrett's nervous eyes or the trickling of sweat down his forehead.  
  
The team arrived at the firehouse, surprised that there was no one there. "I'm worried about them. It's not like Egon to leave us without an explanation."  
  
Garrett rolled onto the elevator. "I'll go upstairs and see if he left a note or something in his office."  
  
Kylie walked over to Janine's desk to see if there was any trace as to where they went. "I've got a bad feeling about this."  
  
Eduardo lay down on the sofa and opened the latest Gore novel. "Maybe he's dead." He didn't really believe it, but he always said it just because it was an easy excuse for almost any situation. He blamed his habit of constantly saying it on all the Gore books.  
  
Garrett came back downstairs. "Nope, everything looks normal."  
  
"Yeah," Kylie said, "over here, too."  
  
"I think you guys are blowing this way out of proportion," Eduardo said. "They probably just went out for a while. Hey, if there's one thing Egon needs, it's a date."  
  
"Maybe Eduardo's right," Garrett considered. "Maybe we are making too much out of this."  
  
And so, they decided to wait for them to return. Kylie sat down, pulled out Spengler's Spirit Guide, and began to study. Eduardo whipped out a yo-yo and tried to wow everyone with his tricks, while Garrett told him his tricks were stupid, and that walking the dog requires the yo-yo to eventually come back up. Roland read through some of the schematics for their weapons to see if any improvements could be made.  
  
After much boredom, the phone rang. Kylie prayed it was Egon, to find out he was all right. She ran to the phone, pushing Eduardo down on her way, and answered, a little winded. "Ghostbusters...oh, okay..." they all knew it wasn't Egon, from the tone in her voice. "Your address?...okay, we're on our way. You're welcome." She hung up the phone. "We've got a call about another Marinzean sighted." Kylie couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice. She handed the address to Eduardo. "Here. Drive."  
  
As they all piled in the car, the depression and concern from Kylie spreading to the rest of the team, Roland thought to leave a note to Egon and leave it on Janine's desk.  
  
Eduardo took the wheel while Kylie sat silently next to him in the passenger seat. The silence was unnerving to Eduardo. Whenever a situation arrived that made him uncomfortable, he normally would crack a joke. It was his way of covering feelings he didn't want to show; feelings of concern or sadness he had a natural instinct to cover up. He knew, however, that if he did that here, she would just think him more insensitive than ever. As uncomfortable as it made him, he decided to try and show a little compassion.  
  
"Look, chi-...Kylie, I'm sure Dr. Spengler is fine. We'll go out, bust some ghosts, come back and they'll all be waiting for us, verdad?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right." She attempted to smile, but Eduardo could see it didn't help her concern any. What Eduardo couldn't see, though, was that she had noticed he didn't joke around, that he tried to help her. She looked at him, and another smile, a real smile, appeared on her face. Eduardo, however, didn't notice as he was trying to concentrate on the road, feeling strange about showing he cared. She moved her hand over toward Eduardo's right hand, sitting on the armrest, and gently covered his with hers. Eduardo slowly looked down at his hand under hers, then up at Kylie, and smiled.  
  
Garrett reached over and shook Eduardo's shoulder. "Eduardo! The road! Look out!!!"  
  
Eduardo looked up and saw the car was drifting into the left side of the road. He grabbed the wheel with both hands and steered hard back into the right. "Sorry guys, sorry," he said between breaths. "I, uh, guess I got distracted. Sorry." Kylie, Garrett, and Roland made sure their safety belts were securely fastened.  
  
Eduardo squinted into the distance. "Hey guys, I think I see something in the sky heading our way." They all peered out the windows to find what he was looking at. There, in the distance, was a floating green blob, coming in the direction of their car.  
  
"It's Slimer!" Kylie exclaimed. Slimer flew in low and next to the car.  
  
"I wonder why he doesn't just fly through the window," Eduardo thought aloud. Slimer was motioning to let him in.  
  
"It looks like he's carrying something, that's why," Kylie said. She pulled down the window to let him in. He flew in and landed on the seat between Eduardo and Kylie. He then began to try to explain where he had been, but no one could understand a word he was saying. Eventually, he handed over the two items he had been carrying, the PKE meter and the proton gun Janine had been carrying, to Roland.  
  
Roland examined the PKE readings and said, "These last few readings indicate that wherever Egon was, he met up with a Marinzean." Slimer started nodding his head.  
  
Kylie's face grew grim. Eduardo noticed. "Don't' worry Kylie, all the more reason we have to find this Marinzean the person called about. Maybe he can lead us to them." Kylie didn't answer, just nodded her head and stared off into space.  
  
The rest of the car ride was quiet. By the time they arrived at the address, Roland and Garrett had both fallen asleep, with Kylie not too far behind. *They have good reason to be tired*, Eduardo thought. *After all, we've been chasing after these sightings since the morning, and it's past midnight now.*  
  
Eduardo pulled over to park by the curb. "Okay," he said to the team, turning the indoor lights on, "everybody up. This is right about where the caller saw it. Garrett, wake Roland up."  
  
Kylie and Eduardo got out and looked around while Garrett shook Roland awake. Kylie looked across the street at a warehouse long abandoned. "That's were the caller said the Marinzean ran off to carrying somebody with it." The warehouse seemed to contradict the apartments across from it, while the warehouse, obviously left to rot years ago, was a boarded up antique, the buildings across the street were fairly new. Kylie took out her PKE meter and started walking toward the warehouse, turned, and motioned for Eduardo and the others to follow.  
  
The three of them caught up with Kylie and carefully walked toward the entrance. Eduardo tripped twice, partly because most of the streetlamps had blown out, making it difficult to see except by the moonlight, and partly due to the grass around the warehouse that had grown over a foot tall.  
  
The front entrance was boarded up and sealed tight. "Maybe we can sneak through a window," Kylie whispered.  
  
"No need for that," Garrett said, raising his proton gun. "Everybody stand back!"  
  
They all backed up and crouched down, except for Kylie. "Garrett, don't! We're trying t-," a multicolored particle stream erupted from Garrett's gun, sending fragments of the door in every direction with a loud shi-RAK! "-to be discreet...," Kylie finished. "Well, so much for the element of surprise."  
  
They walked in slowly, debris and smoke still making it difficult to see. "Everybody got their flashlights?" Roland asked. They all pulled their flashlights out from their belts and flicked them on.  
  
"I suggest we all take it extra careful," Kylie whispered. "If it is here, we don't want it to find us too easy," she looked at Garrett, "if that's still possible."  
  
An ear-splitting scream erupted from deep within the warehouse. "The time for sneaking around is over!" Garrett said. "Let's bust us some ghosts!"  
  
They headed toward the origin of the scream, towards the center of the warehouse, then down a flight of steps into the pitch-black basement, their flashlights the only source of light. There was another scream, right beside them, making them all jump. They aimed their lights on the source. It was laying on the ground, hardly moving, its skin tinted light green, and some bones poking through the surface of its skin.  
  
Eduardo pulled his blaster from his proton pack and aimed at it. Then, it spoke. "N-no-nooo! Pl-lease l-leave bef-fore it g-g-gets you, t-too!" They took a closer look at it, and realized it wasn't the same creature Marie had described. Kylie gasped.  
  
"It's, he's human! He must be in the middle of some kind of metamorphic process."  
  
His skin was already thinning and tightening too much around his body. His bones were becoming brittle, jagged, and puncturing through his skin. His eyeballs were turning as white as the rest of his eyes.  
  
Eduardo kneeled down, so disgusted at what was happening to the guy that his knees decided to stop working.  
  
"G-g-go before he f-fi-inds yo-," he was interrupted by a low growl, coming closer to them. Eduardo jumped to his feet as they all aimed their blasters toward the growling. As the growling stopped they shinned their flashlights but couldn't find it moving in the shadows.  
  
Long, bony arms reached out from the shadows and grabbed Eduardo from behind. Eduardo screamed and tried to break free of its grip, but it just held tighter. The team knew they couldn't open fire, as the creature was using Eduardo as a human shield. It retreated slowly, backing into the shadows, until it seemed to just vanish. The half-man, half-creature lying on the ground before them did his best to sit up and say, "F-f-oll-ll-ow, quickly!!!" Already his voice had become even less human, more growling the words than speaking them. The team wasted no time as they ran into the shadows where the creature had run.  



	4. The Marinzean Epic Chapter 4

The shadows engulfed them, sucked them through a dark portal. They all had the unpleasant sensation of feeling as if they were being turned upside down and inside out, except for Slimer, who actually was being turned inside out and didn't mind it very much.  
  
It felt like they were traveling the speed of light; their bodies seemed to stretch and their vision blurred. They felt as if they'd fallen forever. Then it stopped.  
  
Kylie, Garrett, Roland and Slimer looked at each other, then at themselves to make sure everything was intact. When they were sure they were okay, they took their first notice of where they actually were.  
  
Flicking on their flashlights, they took a look around. Except for a few candles shining a faint light, the room was filled with darkness. The walls and floors were rock, seemingly carved by hand because the caverns were too smooth and perfect to be natural. On the ceilings and a few walls were symbols, apparently the Marinzeans' language, intricately carved into the rock. Kylie thought she recognized the symbols from Spengler's Spirit Guide.   
  
"Okay," Garrett said in a low voice, "we've got to get to Spengler, Janine, and Eduardo. These tunnels could go on for miles in any direction. Any idea where we should start looking?"  
  
Kylie cautiously started walking out of the room they appeared in. "Well, if that creature appeared in the same place we did, it can't have had that much of a head start. I suggest we split up. I'll go down the left end of the hall with Slimer. Roland, you and Garrett start down the right end."  
  
"Kylie, don't you think it's too dangerous to split up?" Roland protested. "We don't know where we are or how many of those things live here."  
  
"That's true, but even as we argue, Eduardo's getting further away from us. Let's move."  
  
They split up, each walking their own directions. There was the sound of water echoing from a far away cavern, drowning out the sound of someone's screams for help.  
  
*****  
  
While Kylie and Slimer walked one way, Garrett and Roland went cautiously down the passage to the right.  
  
"I've got a really bad feeling about this," Garrett said, rolling down the cavern.  
  
They came to a crudely made doorway in the wall to their left. Garrett walked up to the door, turned the knob and nudged it gently open. After making sure nobody was inside, they walked in to look around. The Marinzeans apparently didn't have much in the ways of possessions; a shabby bed, a bucket of water and some leftovers strewn about the floor.  
  
"Well, no one here," Garrett stated. "Let's get going before there is."  
  
"If they have bedrooms," Roland said, "maybe they have prison cells of some kind, as well."  
  
They went form one door to the next, opening them just enough to see if Egon, Janine, or Eduardo were in there, for what seemed like an eternity, until Garrett came upon a room that looked different; this room didn't have a bed. They walked inside.  
  
"There's nothing in here," Garrett said.  
  
"That doesn't make any sense," Roland said. "There has to be a reason this room's here."  
  
A growling sound was coming closer from outside the door. The two ghostbusters looked at each other, than the door. It was wide open. Garrett quietly rolled his chair over to the door and shut it gently, breathing a sigh of relief.  
  
The door flew open hard, slamming into Garrett and knocking him out of his wheelchair. One of the Marinzeans came in. Garrett pulled his proton blaster from his pack and took aim, but it lashed out at him before he could fire. It's huge claws struck him on the side of the head. Garrett's temple started to throb and he passed out.  
  
Roland took aim and fired on the Marinzean, suspending it in its place but not knowing what to do with it; Kylie had the only ghost trap. His eyes glanced over the room and came to rest upon a piece of wood lying on the floor.  
  
Still firing at the Marinzean, he walked over and picked up the piece of wood, holding it like a baseball bat. Gambling on the fact that the creature would be weakened by now from the constant proton assault, he shut off his gun and quickly charged at it, the wood held in the air. Swinging with all his strength, Roland struck the creature square on its face, sending it to the ground where it lay, unconscious.  
  
Breathing heavily, Roland walked over to the door and shut it, hoping he hadn't drawn too much attention.  
  
He kneeled down and examined Garrett. Blood was trickling from Garrett's temple and a couple of bruises were already forming on the side of his face, but otherwise he seemed okay.  
  
Shaking Garrett wouldn't wake him up, so Roland snuck back out of the room to one of the nearby bedrooms, grabbed a bucket of water lying on the floor, and walked back. He cupped some water in his hands and poured in on Garrett's face. His eyes opened a little bit.  
  
"Garrett," Roland whispered, "Garrett, wake up."  
  
Garrett's eyes opened more and he looked around. As he woke up, a wave of pain slammed him in the head. He moaned and his face twisted in a grimace of pain.  
  
"You okay?" Roland asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine. What happened to that thing that got me?"  
  
"It's on the floor. I don't think I killed it, but it'll be out for a little while."  
  
Garrett looked over at the body of the Marinzean, not moving. "Way to go, Roland!"  
  
"Yeah, well, no time for that now. If there is something important here, we'd better look for it quickly."  
  
Roland helped Garrett back onto his wheelchair, and then started searching the walls with his flashlight. "Garrett, look at this."  
  
Garrett, still slightly dizzy with the loud ringing in his ears, rolled over to Roland. On the wall was a series of strange symbols. Garrett looked around the rest of the room, then back at the symbols.  
  
"There aren't any other symbols in the room, just this section here," Garrett said.  
  
Garrett rolled up to the wall, his face only inches away, and noticed something he hadn't before. "Roland, check this out." Underneath the symbols was a small indentation in the wall in the shape of the Marinzeans' clawed hands.  
  
Roland put his hand to the indentation, looked over at Garrett, and pushed. Nothing happened. Roland looked back at the creature lying on the floor and said, "Maybe it requires the hand of one of those things." He nodded toward the creature.  
  
"Keep your blaster aimed in case it wakes up," Garrett said as he rolled over toward the body. He picked up its hand and started dragging it back toward the symbols. He put its hand inside the imprint on the wall. The room started shaking slightly as the wall with the symbols moved back into another room, then to the side, clearing the walkway that led into the secret room.  
  
Garrett and Roland started forward through the passage. The next room was a stairwell leading down. Roland held onto Garrett's wheelchair by its handles and led them down the large spiral stairs. Small torches were placed on the walls going down the huge stone stairs, giving enough light off that three didn't need their flashlights.  
  
The bottom of the stairs led out to an enormous cavern, the size of about three football fields, the ceiling about 60 yards up. They didn't move for a few seconds, but just stared in awe at the size of the cavern. Then they took notice of what was around them; there, on the far side of the cavern, was a creature similar to the others, but much larger. It stood at about thirteen feet. Large, jagged bones stood out of its body about ten inches. Light seemed to be shining from its skin, giving off a bright, light green glow that lit up the enormous cavern. It seemed to be staring hungrily at something lying on the ground. Roland and Garrett followed its gaze to the floor and saw for the first time the victims lying all around. There were bodies sprawled out everywhere along the cavern floor, slowly being transformed into the hideous creatures. Moans of the people going through the painful transformation came from all around, filling the room. A darkness seemed to be encompassing the humans as the glow around the leader of the Marinzeans grew stronger. Looking around at all the bodies, two stood out; Egon and Janine were laying unconscious, their skin a green-gray tint, their bones pressing against the surface of their skin, close to breaking out.  
  
Under the cover of the stalagmite, the leader couldn't see either one of them, but they knew they would have to do something fast.  



	5. The Marinzean Epic Chapter 5

Kylie and Slimer had been walking down the left side of the hallway for a long time now. Kylie couldn't stop worrying about Eduardo and Dr. Spangler. Slimer couldn't stop thinking about food. So far, they had encountered nothing, except for a few symbols on the walls every now and again. A couple of deserted rooms with what seemed to be beds were seen from time to time, but no creatures, no Eduardo, Egon or Janine.  
  
After a short while longer, they came upon a different room. Slowly, they entered. Like the others, it was vacant, but this one was different; there was a large spiral stairway leading up. Kylie walked toward the stairway, was going to climb them, when she heard something and froze. There was a slight scraping sound, like claw against stone, getting louder. She looked up the spiraling stairway. Shadows of the deformed Marinzeans splashed across the walls from the candles on the walls. She ran out of the room into the hall, looking for someplace to hide, but couldn't find any.  
  
"Slimer," she whispered, "put out those two candles and hope their night vision isn't that good."  
  
Slimer floated toward the nearest candle on the wall and flew through it, his ectoplasm dripping onto and extinguishing the candle. He quickly flew over to the opposite wall and slimed that candle too, darkening a small section of the hall.  
  
Kylie stood very still against the wall, Slimer flattening himself against it next to her. Two Marinzeans walked out of the doorway, both carrying unconscious humans. Kylie breathed a sigh of relief as the creatures walked away from her, further down the hallway.  
  
Kylie looked over at Slimer and motioned for him to follow her. They slowly walked down the hall, keeping the two Marinzeans in her sight. The creatures stopped in front of a large doorway, decorated with lots of symbols and enormous arches. One of the Marinzeans put down their unconscious captive and placed their large, claw-like hand on a slight imprint on the wall next to the intricate door. There was a slight rumble in the walls and floor as the door slid open.  
  
Both of the Marinzeans entered, then after a few moments one left, without the human it had carried in, and continued walking down the hall. Kylie waited a little longer to make sure the other wasn't coming out, the started sneaking up towards the large door. She peeked in; unconscious bodies, still human, were laid out all over the floor of the room. Much more candles were lit in this room than the others, illuminating the entire area in light. Kylie looked, had to hold in her sudden intake of breath as she saw Eduardo lying in the room. She held back the intense urge she felt to run towards him, noticing the Marinzean in the middle of the room for the first time.  
  
The Marinzean's big eyes were shut in concentration as it growled some sort of incantation. The bodies began radiating a slight glow. The more it spoke, the brighter the strange glow became. After a short time, the creature stopped its incantation, although the bodies continued to glow. Kylie looked on in horrible fascination as all the bodies slowly turned a light gray-green shade, their bone structures slowly changing. The room suddenly filled with the sound of bones cracking, changing form, nauseating Kylie until she thought she'd never hear anything again except for the horrible grinding and growing sound the bones of the people were making.  
  
Her eyes wandered to Eduardo, his face covered with sweat, mouth in a grimace of pain. Kylie couldn't stand seeing him hurt any longer; she grit her teeth, charged up her proton blaster, and charged toward the vile Marinzean, screaming.  
  
The Marinzean barely had time to look up at her before her foot swung around to deliver a roundhouse kick square in its jaw, sending it to the floor. Kylie decided that for all the pain it had caused all these people, a simple zap and trap was too good for it. It fell to the floor from her kick. She sent another hard kick into its stomach. The Marinzean let out a low growl of pain and bent over, holding its sore abdomen. Kylie wanted to teach it one more good lesson before taking it out. She pulled the ghost trap from her back and held it in her right hand. Winding her arm back like a pitcher, she flung her arm forward intensely hard, metal making contact with light green flesh. Black-red blood streamed from the creature's jaw and temple as it flew backwards, landing face first unconscious on the cold stone floor.  
  
"If that didn't teach you," she said through clenched teeth, "maybe this will!"  
  
As the Marinzean growled, regaining consciousness, Kylie shot him with a proton stream at nearly point blank. The creature, so out of it from Kylie's fierce attack, hardly acknowledged the barrage of nuclear fire directed at it. Kylie threw the trap underneath of it and opened it, sucking the creature inside. Nothing was left of it, except for a slight trail of smoke drifting up from the trap.  
  
Kylie leaned against a nearby wall, trying to catch her breath, finally sliding down into a sitting position on the floor. Slimer stared at her, amazed by her outburst of aggression. His jaw dropped five feet to the floor, as he floated over by her side. She put her hand to the back of Slimer's ectoplasmic head and petted him, kind of enjoying the cool feel of the slime. She rubbed a small amount on her forehead, cooling off the sweat.  
  
After a short rest, Kylie crawled over to Eduardo's unconscious body. His face and shoulders looked as if thorns were pushing out it his skin. She grabbed his arms lightly and shook him.  
  
"Eduardo, wake up. It's me, Kylie."  
  
Eduardo didn't respond. Kylie spoke again, a clear tone of worry now in her voice.   
  
"Eduardo, come on, we have to get out of here. Wake up!"  
  
His eyelids shot open. Kylie looked down at him and smiled. He closed his eyes tight and winced as the first wave of pain hit him. He cupped his hands over his face and let out a pain filled scream. He felt the small thorn-like projections on his face and gasped.  
  
"My face! What's happening to my face?!" He pulled his hands away and looked at them.  
  
"Wh-why's my skin gray? I'm one of them! Kylie, help me!"  
  
Kylie held on to his shoulders and looked at him in the eyes. "Just calm down, Eduardo, you'll be fine. We'll find a way to reverse it. Okay?"  
  
Eduardo was about to answer her when his bones made a loud pop as they continued to slowly transform. Eduardo's body tensed and he let out a loud scream.  
  
Kylie pulled his shoulders to make him sit up, and then put her arms around him and pressed him to her. Eduardo felt that her holding him close was the only thing anchoring his sanity. He held her tighter and relaxed, feeling that as long as their hug lasted he would be safe. He wanted to lose himself in that moment, to never leave or care about anything else. But he knew he couldn't; they had a job to do. He pushed away from her, noticing her disappointment as he did so, and stood.  
  
"Egon and Janine. I know where they are," Eduardo said. A popping sound emanated from his bones. Trying to resist the urge to just slip from consciousness from the pain, he went on, saying through clenched teeth and closed eyes, "There's a stairwell through that door." He pointed to the left corner of the room. "After the incantation is said, they move the transforming bodies down to our...their master."  
  
Kylie gave him an odd look. "How do you know all this?"  
  
"After the incantation, we're all linked somehow." A wave of pain hit him so intensely he felt nauseous, but knew he couldn't show how bad he felt if he didn't want to upset Kylie.  
  
Kylie walked behind him toward the door. Once he felt she could no longer see him, Eduardo fell to his knees, holding himself in pain. Slimer rushed over and pulled him back to his feet, leaving trails of slime running down his vest.  
  
Eduardo followed Kylie through the doorway and down a flight of stairs. He had to stop more than once to catch his breath. The stairs ended in a dimly lit passage.  
  
After a short while the passage opened into a large cavern, transforming humans lying all around. Kylie looked at Eduardo, but his attention was focused on the far end of the enormous cavern; a large Marinzean was standing, slight growls coming from it. Kylie then noticed the glow; as the human victims continued to transform, a strange glow emanating from the leader seemed to be glowing brighter. Not only the strange glow, but also the leader itself appeared to be getting stronger.  
  
Eduardo kept on staring at the leader in fascination. Kylie whispered to him, "Eduardo, what is it?"  
  
"I can hear her. Like, understand her words."  
  
Kylie listened, but could only hear its growling. "What is she saying?"  
  
Eduardo listened for a moment. "Some of what she's saying is an incantation, kinda like the one used to transform me and the others in that room. This one can give her these people's life energy as they change."  
  
"You said some. What's the rest?"  
  
He listened. "Laughter."  



	6. The Marinzean Epic Chapter 6

Kylie scanned around the room, looking for Egon and Janine. She found them, only twenty yards from where she was. Small spikes were starting to tear through their clothing. She looked the huge cavern over once more; that's when she saw them.  
  
About fifty yards to Kylie, Eduardo, and Slimer's right were Roland and Garrett, hiding behind a stalagmite. Kylie realized it might be a good idea for the three of them to hide as well. Crouching down behind a large stalagmite, Kylie, Eduardo and Slimer waved their arms frantically to get Roland and Garrett's attention. Garrett looked towards them, a look of surprise and happiness creeping up his face.  
  
Garrett nudged Roland and pointed toward the trio. Cautiously the two made their way over to Slimer, Eduardo and Kylie. As the two approached, Eduardo slinked back into the shadow of the large stalagmite.  
  
"Kylie!" Roland whispered with delight, "Thank goodness you're here! Garrett and I were trying to figure out a way to defeat this thing," he motioned at the leader, "without a trap."  
  
Kylie's smile faded. "Uh, I'd keep thinking if I were you; when I rescued Eduardo, I used the trap on a Marinzean."  
  
At that, the others quit smiling, too. Garrett tried to lift the tension by changing subjects. "So Ed, how's it feel to be rescued?"  
  
A popping sound came from Eduardo's bones. He replied through clenched teeth. "I've felt better, chico." He stepped out of the shadow of the stalagmite, showing his horrid new form to Garrett and Roland. The both tried to hold in their gasps.  
  
"I was a tad bit late in rescuing him," Kylie said.  
  
"Don't worry, Ed," Garrett said, "we'll find a way to change you back as soon as we get out of here."  
  
"Right," Kylie assured him. "But right now we have to get Egon and Janine."  
  
"So, what's the plan?" Garrett asked.  
  
"Somebody will distract the leader while we sneak them out."  
  
"But who'll do the distracting?"  
  
Eduardo stepped up. "I'll go. I..." A one-inch bone fragment pushed its way out of his neck. A small trail of blood ran down his neck, soaking the collar of his shirt. He held his neck and fell to his knees in pain.  
  
"Garrett helped him to his feet. Kylie bit her bottom lip, trying to keep her concern for him hidden.  
  
"I don't think that would be a good idea, Eduardo," Roland said. "You may not be able to run from it before it gets you in the shape you're in."  
  
Kylie offered her shoulder for Eduardo to lean on. He accepted, feeling a little awkward putting his arm around her. He looked over at her. She was staring at him, but not in horror or disgust at his current form' she stared in his eyes, looking inside of him. He felt she could see into his very soul, see his true feelings for her, and he liked it.  
  
Slimer volunteered to go.  
  
Both Kylie and Eduardo had been so lost in their stare they forgot what was going on. They broke their stare, remembered where they were, and decided now wasn't the time.  
  
"What's the spud saying?" Eduardo asked.  
  
"He said he'll be the distraction," Roland answered.  
  
Eduardo sat down, leaning back against the stalagmite. The pain began shooting up and down his body so hard his ears were ringing and different colors began dancing in front of his eyes. His temples were throbbing. He felt like he was falling, his body spinning into darkness. After a second it felt good, welcome; he was relaxed, the pain couldn't follow him here.  
  
"Eduardo! EDUARDO!" Kylie spoke as loud as she dared in the cavern.  
  
"It's no good," Roland said, "He's unconscious."  
  
Another popping sound emanated from Eduardo. Garrett looked down at him. "The longer we wait," he said," the worse these people are getting. I say it's time for some action!" Garrett drew his proton blaster and turned it on. It came to life with its gentle hum as usual. He loved that sound, lived for it. That sound always meant they were going in for battle. He was psyched!  
  
Slimer slowly hovered over to the head of the enormous leader. As planned, the leader wasn't happy to have an intruder while feeding. The leader charged at Slimer, but due to its great size, moved fairly slowly.  
  
Kylie looked down at the bodies, noticing that with the leader distracted, the draining of their life force had also been distracted. Before she could stop him, Garrett rolled toward the bodies.  
  
Garrett turned his wheelchair around to face Kylie and Roland. "C'mon guys, time to save the world again!" He turned back, blaster still drawn, aimed at the leader in case it should see them. Roland and Kylie looked at each other, drew their weapons and followed.  
  
Roland and Garrett approached the closest victim and drug him back by the stalagmite. Kylie, however, went straight for Egon.  
  
When she reached for Egon she couldn't hold in her gasp of surprise; Egon was worse than Eduardo! His eyes, even closed, were about three times larger than normal. Blood had dried around the skin that had been torn by the bone fragments sticking out of his body.  
  
Kylie was reaching down to carry him back when she noticed his shoulder; from the hole in his clothing the bone spikes made, she could see that his entire shoulder was swollen and purple. The shoulder was bent in an unnatural angle. *Looks like a dislocation*, Kylie thought.  
  
She motioned to Roland to come help her move Egon's body. As they slowly picked him up and moved him, he let out a low moan of pain. Kylie and Roland paused, looked at each other in alarm, and then looked over towards the leader. Slimer was flying in circles around the leader, leading it further and further away down the cavern. Looking back at each other, Kylie and Roland sighed in relief. They continued moving Egon, Roland walking backwards holding Egon's torso and good arm, Kylie holding his legs. Roland, concentrating on avoiding contact with Egon's injured shoulder, stepped back on another victim's hand, lost his footing and fell backwards, dropping Egon.  
  
Egon's proton pack hit the ground first with a loud crash. Kylie and Roland, eyes wide, looked on in terror, knowing there was nothing they could do about it. They both had thought the loudest noise would be the sound of the pack hitting the ground, but a fraction of a second later, Egon's dislocated shoulder hit the pack, all the weight of his body bearing down on it. Egon's low moan turned into a shout of intense pain, echoing throughout the cavern.  
  
As his shout died down, the entire cavern seemed perfectly still. Garrett, who had been moving a victim towards the stairwell, stopped dead in his tracks, not moving a muscle, just staring at the thirteen-foot creature towering over everybody. Roland and Kylie stood frozen with fear, Roland staring up at the leader and Kylie dividing her stare between the leader and the injured Dr. Spengler. Slimer stopped circling the leader, just hovered a few feet away from it while staring at his friends. The only one who moved was Egon, who was slowly regaining consciousness.  
  
After a few seconds of dead silence, the leader turned to face the team. It saw them and, forgetting about Slimer, started its advancement toward them. It opened its mouth and let out an enormous roar that shook the cavern, causing Roland and Kylie to lose their footing and nearly topple over.  
  
Garrett's blood pumped with anticipation as he aimed his proton blaster and fired. The bright stream of energy lit the entire cavern as it struck the leader in the chest. It stopped its charge and shrieked with rage. Kylie and Roland took the leader's temporary distraction as an opportunity to pull out their blasters, charge them and fire. The creature struggled to escape the grasp of the proton streams, using all its strength to continue charging them. It slowly continued moving toward the two closest, Roland and Kylie.  
  
"This one's strong!" Roland yelled to be heard over the firing blasters. "Aim for his chest."  
  
Garrett, Roland and Kylie moved their streams toward its chest, weakening it to a stop. "Now what do we do?" Garrett called out.  
  
Slimer, keeping his distance from the proton streams, saw Egon waving his good arm in the air, trying to get his attention. Slimer flew over to where Egon was laying.  
  
"Slimer," Egon gasped as pain continued to rack his body, "it's up to you. They're too busy keeping the leader from attacking." Egon's eyes began to close as he struggled to remain conscious, sweat dripping down his face and neck. "Janine...has a trap...on her back...It's up...to you, Slimer...It's...up..." Egon never finished the sentence, slipping back into unconsciousness.  
  
Slimer laid his gooey hands on Egon's wrist, feeling for a pulse. Satisfied he was all right, Slimer hovered over to Janine's sleeping body. Turning her over, Slimer unfastened the ghost trap from Janine's back.  
  
Slimer held the cool metal trap in his hands, looked at the leader, then back at the team. He could see his reflection in the trap's surface. For a moment, while looking at his reflection, he thought about what he was, which side he belonged on. At times when they acted like he didn't exist, he felt like he didn't even quite know why he had betrayed his own kind, gone with the enemy. He would think back to his days as the enemy, before he decided the best option would be to join a team of humans who busted ghosts like he'd been. He thought of those moments of pure hatred when he'd wanted to go to the basement, pull the release for the containment unit and free all those of his kind who he had watched get zapped and trapped. He could be the hero, he knew, for either side at this point. But he only thought this for a moment.  
  
Flying at top speed he placed the trap at the stunned leader's feet. He looked over at Roland, Kylie and Garrett, saw them smile at him, cheer him on, and knew why he'd joined them. Determination replaced doubt as Slimer hit the switch to open the trap. A brilliant light poured out of the ghost trap, causing Slimer and the team to temporarily avert their eyes. As Slimer kept his eyes away from the bright light, he could hear the leader's furious cry as it was sucked down into the trap, as well as feel a slight tugging himself, due to him still being so close to it.  
  
Then there was a stronger tugging that alarmed Slimer. "Slimer, look out!" "Behind you!" He heard their warnings and turned around in alarm. The leader had grabbed Slimer on the way down into the trap, pulled him into the trap's ecto-magnetic field. There was nothing he could do, but listen to his friends' cries, and dread what the traps were actually like. The brilliant light that had been the team's salvation started fading into a darkness that would be his fate.  
  
The trap closed. 


	7. The Marinzean Epic Chapter 7

"Slimer!" Kylie cried out as she ran over to the trap, Garrett and Roland following. Garrett wheeled over next to her, picking the trap up. "I'm gonna open it. Everybody stand back."  
  
"No!" Roland said, trying to wrench the trap from Garrett's hands. "We can't risk letting that creature back out. It's too dangerous."  
  
Kylie, tears starting to run down her face, her heart aching at the loss of her friend, looked Garrett in the eyes. "Roland's right, Garrett. There's too great a risk right now. Let's at least make Slimer's sacrifice meaningful. He's a hero."  
  
Garrett looked into her eyes, knew that what Kylie was saying was true, and let go of the trap.  
  
After a few moments of silence, the three of them went to work waking each of the victims lying on the ground up. It took a lot of work to calm down the victims, many of which barely resembled a human being. Kylie ripped off the sleeves of Egon's jumpsuit and made a sling for his arm. Egon did his best to calm Janine, telling her they would be fine, that they'd be back to normal in no time. He did his best to seem brave in front of her, but was terrified of his own transformation, and was anxious to get back to the firehouse, predicting the transformation back may be just as painful as their prior one.  
  
The Ghostbusters and all their victims made their way quickly back through the passages to where they had started from. Egon noticed that there was an inscription on the wall near where they had reappeared. Understanding the incantation, Egon read it aloud. A large group of people that had been standing inside a ring carved in the ground glowed brightly, then vanished. He told all the others to gather inside to be transported back, leaving him and the team.  
  
Eduardo stood leaning against a wall with his eyes closed, tired of the room spinning on him. Already he was beginning to feel a good amount of pain as his body tried to revert back to its original form. "So," he said quietly, "what do we do about Slimer?"  
  
It was the question, he knew, that was on everybody's mind. "Well," Egon replied, "there isn't much we can do right now. When we get back to the firehouse, there may be a chance we can save him. For now, we've got to get these people to a hospital; if the transformation back is anything like the one that made us like this, they're going to need medical attention."  
  
The six of them stepped into the circle as Egon recited the words on last time. After another unpleasant experience, they appeared back in the lower level of the warehouse. Some people, they noticed, were already clutching at their heads or bodies in pain.  
  
Fearful that some people may try to go back to their homes, Egon spoke to the group. "Listen, everybody. I'm Dr. Egon Spenglar of the Ghostbusters. As you can see from what's happened to me, I understand the pain you've been in and your desire to go back to your homes. I strongly recommend you all wait here while ambulances are called. We're calling them now, so just stay put."  
  
Egon turned to Roland. "Roland, go to the Ecto-1 and call the hospital. Tell them to get here quickly, and warn them about their current appearance, okay?"  
  
Roland nodded and headed upstairs.  
  
Kylie, Roland and Garrett followed the ambulances to the hospital in the Ecto-1. They found the room Egon was in and went to talk about saving Slimer. Janine was in a bed to the right of Egon, asleep. Her face was already returning to normal.  
  
They walked over to Egon, who was just lying still, seeming almost to be asleep as well. He looked over at the three of them and smiled. After a long brainstorming, Egon decided that if one of them was willing to take the risk, they could go into the containment unit to retrieve Slimer after the trap was emptied into it.  
  
"It won't be the first time we've done this," Egon explained. "In fact, I was the one who went in last time, years ago during Christmas."  
  
"How's it done?" Roland asked.  
  
"I designed a special suit that will enable you to change dimensions, going onto the astral plane. The containment unit can then be opened, sucking the wearer in like any other ghost. There's a catch, though."  
  
"There always has to be," Garrett thought out loud  
  
"The containment suit uses a lot of power, and therefore will only work for a limited time. If the wearer doesn't leave the containment unit before time is up, the wearer is stuck in the containment unit forever." He looked around. "Now, who's going to volunteer?"  
  
"I'll do it," Garrett said.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Hey, adventure's my game! Besides, on the astral plane, I should be able to use my legs for the first time ever!"  
  
"Alright then. Once you're in you will only have a half hour to find Slimer and lead him and yourself out. Good luck."  
  
Egon gave Roland the technical details on the containment unit and suit, while also preparing Garrett for what he'll be encountering.  
  
Kylie told Egon she wished him a speedy recovery and left to find Eduardo's room. When she entered his room he was laying still, staring up at the ceiling, singing quietly to himself. He saw her walking toward him and stopped singing. She smiled at him and he smiled back.  
  
"How ya feeling?" she asked.  
  
"They gave us some pain killers. I feel pretty great. They make ya feel a little light headed, though."  
  
"What were you singing?"  
  
"I was singing?"  
  
Kylie and Eduardo laughed, the first time in what felt like an eternity. The two of them talked about anything that was on their minds. Eventually, the painkillers caused Eduardo to fall into a peaceful sleep. Kylie stayed by his bed and watched him, wondered what would happen between them. There was no denying there was something there, she knew, but she was afraid to do anything about it. Her mind began to drift to what could happen...  
  
"Kylie?"  
  
She turned around, startled. It was Garrett. He came in.  
  
"How is he?" he asked.  
  
"He was a little out of it. Well, more than usual, at least. He'll be fine."  
  
"Roland's downstairs in the lobby. We're ready to go. Gotta save the slime guy. You commin''?"  
  
"Yes, I'm ready." She took one last look at Eduardo, and then walked out. Her and Garrett took the elevator down. Kylie was still lost in thoughts of what would become of her and Eduardo. Garrett paid no attention to Kylie's silence, being absorbed in his own thoughts. Claustrophobic thoughts. I can hear the creaking. I knew it; her, my wheelchair and I are too much for this thing. The rope will snap any time, we'll drop to our deaths, nobody...  
  
The elevator door opened. Garrett rolled out, wiping sweat from his forehead, thanking God that he'll live through one more claustrophobic encounter. They met up with Roland in the lobby and headed back to the firehouse to rescue Slimer.  
  
* *  
*  
  
When the three of them got back to the firehouse, Roland went to get the suit prepared while Kylie and Garrett went to the basement with the ghost trap.  
  
Roland came downstairs carrying a heavy suit and helmet, similar to an astronaut suit. "Kylie, empty Slimer and the leader into the containment unit. Garrett, I'll help you secure and fasten the containment suit."  
  
Kylie opened the small door on the front of the containment unit. Another door the size and shape of the ghost trap opened. She placed the ghost trap in the door and pulled a lever. The two ghosts were emptied into the unit and the empty ghost trap was returned to Kylie.  
  
Garrett had the suit on and Roland was helping to secure the helmet on. It fastened with five simultaneous clicks. "Garrett," Roland said, "Can you hear me?" Garrett nodded. "Look on your left arm. The sleeve contains a screen with a timer on it. It will count down from thirty minutes. That's all the time you'll have when you cross dimensions. If you're not back in time, you'll be stuck in the containment unit. You ready to do this?"  
  
"Ready as I'll ever be, Roland."  
  
"Good luck, Garrett," Kylie said.  
  
"Thanks. Don't worry. In half an hour, we'll all be looking back at this and laughing."  
  
Roland reached over to a control panel on the suit's right sleeve, punched in the setting parameters, and hit the activation key. He stood back. Slowly, Garrett became transparent.  
  
"Okay Garrett," Roland said, "you've crossed over to their dimension. You can stand now."  
  
Garrett looked up at him, still having trouble believing. He lifted his left leg from the wheelchair and couldn't help laughing out loud. He stood up and walked around slowly, memorizing how every step felt, loving it. Tears started flowing down his face.  
  
"Alright, half hour?" Garrett asked, regaining control of himself. Kylie, smiling, walked over to the containment unit and opened the door for the trap. Within a few short seconds, Garrett was sucked into an opening no bigger than a square foot. Garrett, not feeling any pain, was actually enjoying the experience. The next thing he knew after the trap door being opened, he was falling through a sea of darkness streaked with multi- colored beams of light.  
  
He landed on a rock platform, literally in the middle of nowhere. Looking around, all there was was gray, swirling mist as far as he could see. Here and there were some rock platforms like he was standing on. He looked down at the small screen on his sleeve. 29 minutes, 32 seconds. From what he had learned about the dimension held within the containment unit it was nearly endless. With only half an hour, he thought, I'd better start looking for Slimer.  
  
The first problem, Garrett immediately realized, was that the nearest platform was nearly twenty meters away. Then, he realized, he'd never jumped before in his life. He decided to do a couple practice jumps first, to see his limitations. He crouched down and sprung up, much to his surprise, about fifteen meters high. Things don't quite work the same in this place, He thought. Which means...  
  
He ran across the platform he was on and jumped towards the distant platform twenty meters away. After about fifteen meters in the air, he realized he was going to overshoot the platform. He landed on a platform fifty meters away from where he had started. I could get to like this!  
  
Without any warning, something flew by and hit him in the arm, knocking him off the platform. As he fell, Garrett looked up to see what had struck him. A blue ghost with well over ten legs was running away. Before Garrett could get mad at it, he landed on his back. Standing up, he seemed to be on a gravel ground, going on indefinitely in all directions. Trees were growing out of the gravel right before his eyes, then shriveled, died, rotted, and began growing again. It gave Garrett the creeps. Ghosts began circling around him in the air, some of them flying down to push him forward. Getting up, another would fly down to push him forward again. He began to understand he was being led somewhere, and he didn't think he'd like where they were leading him. Attempting to run in a different direction, the ghosts got angry and became more forceful. They all grabbed him, pulled him into the air toward where they had been pushing him, and dropped him. Before Garrett could stand back up, green vines began sprouting from the ground around him. The vines wrapped around his arms, legs and neck, pulling him down through the gravel earth, buried alive.  
  
When he was pulled completely underground, the vines let go of him. Garrett had a little less than a foot to move his limbs, as the gravel wouldn't cave into the small room he was crammed into. Dark thoughts began seeping into his mind. I can't move. I always knew it'd end like this. My air will probably run out soon, killing me off nice and slowly in this grave. My time will run out before I...  
  
The time! He looked at the screen on his sleeve. It was down to 13 minutes, 07 seconds. He started digging back up with all his strength.  
  
A low, grating voice interrupted his thoughts. "You'll never escape. You'll be stuck here, as one of us, for all eternity."  
  
Just then a big green hand reached down the gravel and began pulling Garrett up. Garrett recognized the hand, covered in green ectoplasm. Although a little bigger, there was no mistaking it. He called out with a great smile. "Slime-"  
  
He was pulled to the surface, finally able to see his rescuer. He looked close to Slimer, but much larger. It's eyes were large, white, and had no pupils. Spikes of slime jutted out of his slimy surface, dripping green goo. It looked like Slimer, once was Slimer, but now was a Marinzean, horribly mutated.  
  
"-er?"  
  
It laughed, an evil cackle, and brought Garrett up into the air, then dropped him in a steel cage. Manacles, moving much like the vines had, slithered up to Garrett's wrists and locked.  
  
"You'll notice," the green Marinzean said, "the manacles are just short enough to prevent you from hitting that button on your sleeve." Garrett tried and found the Marinzean to be right; his hands couldn't quite reach each other. "Once your time runs out, I'm going to torture you until you go mad!"  
  
"Slimer, listen," Garrett said, glancing at his watch; 4 minutes, 26 seconds, "we can still help you. Just try to clam do-"  
  
"Slimer is gone. All that is left of him is this body. You shall pay for entrapping me, ripping me from my world, and after I had tried to save you, you lock me in here!"  
  
Tried to save us?! Garrett thought. After thinking briefly, he began to understand that Slimer was not gone, but just possessed by the Marinzean. When the two joined, he thought, the leader must have been the stronger and gotten control of the host body. But those were Slimer's angers it was feeling. There must be a way to separate them again.  
  
Garrett decided to try to reason Slimer to get control of the body. "Slimer, I know that you're really in there somewhere. You've got to listen. It wasn't our fault. If we didn't care about you, why would I be here right now trying to rescue you? You've got to understand that we're trying. Once I go back, we'll start working on a way to bring you back. Please Slimer, we're your friends."  
  
"My friends," Slimer's voice became smaller. He had a look of pain on his face, eyes shut, teeth gritted. His hands clenched into tight fists as he approached Garrett. Garrett started getting worried, afraid Slimer was going to hurt him. Slimer took hold of the chains holding Garrett's wrists and pulled. The chains broke with a loud crack, releasing Garrett.  
  
Garrett, forehead beaded with sweat, looked at Slimer, then at his countdown on his sleeve. 57 seconds. Gasping, Garrett looked up at Slimer, still fearing him, thinking at any moment the Marinzean could take control again.  
  
Slimer could read the look on Garrett's face. Slimer's eyes filled with sorrow at what he had become. "Go back to the team, Garrett. When you can find a way to change me back, I'll be waiting."  
  
Garrett could feel his throat constricting, getting choked up over the loss of his good friend. He tried to say good-bye, but the words just wouldn't leave his mouth. He simply extended his arm. Slimer looked down at Garrett's hand, smiled, and shook it.  
  
Garrett looked at the readout on his sleeve. 6 seconds...5. He hit the button opening the containment unit. A multi-colored portal opened a few feet in front of his face. Garrett took a final look behind him at Slimer. "See you soon," Garrett said, and stepped into the gateway.  
  
He had the sensation of speeding through a rainbow-lit highway. His journey back ended with a blinding flash of white light and a thump as he was sucked out of the square foot door. There was a pair of shoes standing in front of his face, but whose he couldn't tell because he was laying on his stomach. He tried to get up to see who was there, but to his great disappointment, his legs would no longer respond.  
  
Somebody reached down and pulled Garrett up and into his wheelchair. He looked up and say it was Kylie. Roland walked over from the containment unit to Garrett and helped him out of the containment suit. Kylie decided to ask the question that she and Roland were dreading.  
  
"So, where's Slimer?" she asked, not able to keep the touch of sadness out of her voice.  
  
"It's a long story. I'd like Egon to hear it too."  
  
"Well then, let's pay him a visit." 


	8. The Marinzean Epic Epilogue

A week later, the Ghostbusters were starting to get on with the loss of Slimer. Egon, after having time to think about it in the firehouse instead of the hospital, figured that, given time, he could formulate a way to split apart the Marinzean and Slimer.  
  
"So," Eduardo asked Garrett, "what did it feel like to walk for the first time?"  
  
Garrett let out a sigh, a small smile going across hi face as he remembered every step he had taken. "If there was any reason why I would have given up everything to stay in that dimension, it would be to walk, not ever have to use a wheelchair again. It was pretty incredible, man."  
  
"Would you really give up everything to have your legs, amigo?"  
  
Garrett's smile disappeared, his eyes glassed over as he thought. He opened his mouth to reply, but never got to answer; Egon called the team down into the lobby to have a meeting.  
  
Janine, Eduardo, Kylie, Garrett and Roland met Egon in the lobby. They all had a seat. Egon stood up to address them all. "I'd just like to tell you that I'm very proud of your accomplishments during this extremely difficult assignment. It's been hard for us all not to think about Slimer, myself included, and I'm sure that eventually we can bring him back. Until then, I've had a plaque made in his honor to put up in the firehouse, and it just came in. So, if you'd all like to help put it up, grab some tools."  
  
They all got up. Eduardo got a drill, which scared Kylie. She offered to carry it and gave him her screws. Janine had the screwdriver and Egon carried the plaque wrapped in brown paper.  
  
The sun was shining brightly in New York as they walked outside. None of the team really noticed, their minds too grim to feel its warmth. Egon tore off the paper wrapping to reveal the gold plated plaque with a small inscription on it. They set to work, drilling a few small holes, fitting the screws. When they had finished, they all stood back to admire their work. A smile spread over each team member as the sun sparkled over the words Egon had chosen to have inscribed:  
  
"In loving memory of our good friend Slimer. Not only had he found a place in our team, but also a place in each one of our hearts. He will be missed." 


End file.
